6 Years
by Runs with Werewolfs
Summary: Kendall is grieving. Can James help him. Kames, kind of fluffy. Lamille, Jo x Carlos


6 Years

* * *

James leaned against the Swirly slide, watching as Carlos and Logan chased each other around 2J . "Guys, do you know what day this is?" he asked suddenly. The other two stopped dead in their tracks and looked at him.

"Um, it's Monday" Carlos said with a smile "and it's Labor day…"

Logan nodded "So we don't have school. Which I hate, but you all love" he added.

Of course the date would slip their minds. They didn't care about Kendall the way James did. "Guys, it's September 6" he reminded them. Carlos shrugged and went about his business. Logan, on the hand, stared at James in shock, horrified that he had forgotten.

"Where is he?" Logan asked.

"I don't know" James admitted. "I haven't seen him or Katie all day. I know Mrs. Knight went back to visit her in-laws but I haven't seen them"

Logan bit his lip. "He's hurting. Still."

"He misses his dad like crazy" James confirmed.

Today was the 6 year anniversary of Kendall's dad's sudden death. He had been a professional hockey player, and had been on the ice when he had just collapsed. He had been rushed to the hospital, but had been pronounced dead upon arrival. The cause of death had been a massive heart attack brought on by stress, too much physical activity and some weird medication. Kendall had been 10 at the time, Katie had been 6. Kendall had poured himself in hockey after that, until moving to LA. Katie had barely understood at the time, but now that she was 12, she grieved the loss of her father more than even Kendall had.

Logan sighed. "I'll go find Katie. You go find Kendall" he suggested. James nodded.

* * *

Kendall wrapped his arms around his knees. He was sure the others were going crazy trying to find him at this point, he had been here since before dawn. He leaned up against the tree he was hiding behind, wiping a tear from his face. The early morning chill hadn't left yet, and Kendall was wondering if California's wacky weather was about to pour down from the heavens. California had been doing that enough lately.

He missed his dad so much sometimes, it nearly killed him. Sometimes, even know, he felt like he couldn't breathe from missing him so much. He had panic attacks, not in the last year, but he had had them. Often times, after everyone else was asleep, he would hear his mom crying in her room, or Katie crying, and he would go comfort them.

He put his head on his knees. He could hardly believe it had been 6 years. Some days, it felt like just yesterday he had seen his dad, had wrestled with him, and then other days, like today, he felt like he hadn't seen him in a hundred years.

"Dad, I miss you" Kendall muttered, letting loose to the tears he had been holding back. He felt vulnerable, he felt empty. Most of all, by his own doing, he felt alone.

* * *

James rushed through the lobby of the Palmwoods, slamming into Jo. "Hey Jo" he grinned at the blonde. "Have you seen Kendall?" he asked her.

"No" Jo said. "Why?"

"It's the anniversary of his dad's death and we haven't seen him all day" James explained. "I'm kind of worried"

"James Diamond? Carrying about someone other than himself? Well there's a shock" he heard his ex, Rachael, mutter as she passed him. James turned around, prepared to tell her off, before Jo grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"James, chill, she's just mad you and Kendall turned out to be gay" Jo said. Kendall and James had both come out about 3 months ago. Jo had remained supportive of both of them, but Rachael had been disgusted and wanted nothing to do with James. Jo had since started dating Carlos, and Kendall had been thrilled with this. Logan and Camille were basically joined at the hip most days, although today, Camille was filming a bit part in a movie, so Logan was free to spend the day with Katie, who needed someone.

James sighed. "Again, I'm not gay. I'm bi. Kendall's gay" he corrected.

Jo smiled. "Yeah, I know. I saw Kendall about 3 hours ago in Palmwoods Park" she offered.

"What were you doing up at 6:30? Only Carlos gets up at that time" James said with a raised eyebrow.

"Exactly. He woke me up at 5 for breakfast and after I went for a run in the park. I noticed Kendall wandering around the park looking lost, and I said hi, but he ignored me" Jo said.

James groaned. "Okay, I'll go over there and try to find him. He's always like this on this day, he gets all weird." James said with a frown. "It worries me that he's going to do something stupid" he said, looking out the window. It looked like it was going to rain. "What was he wearing, just out of curiosity?" he asked, trying to decide if he should go grab a jacket or something for Kendall.

"Uh, pajama bottoms and a wifebeater" Jo said. "I'm going to find Carlos. Do you know where he is?"

"He was in our apartment being crazy" James offered. "I'll walk up with you. I'm going to grab some stuff for Kendall."

* * *

James rushed down to the Palmwoods Park 20 minutes later, carrying a blanket, a jacket and some random food he had grabbed out of the fridge. It was just starting to rain, and he was worried about Kendall. It took only James all of 2 minutes to find Kendall, who was sitting, curled up into a ball, against a tree, sobbing.

Kendall jumped when he felt James touch his shoulder. "Dude, you can't do this" James said with a sigh. He handed Kendall the jacket. Kendall gladly accepted the jacket, smiling weakly at James as he put it on.

James sat down next to Kendall. "I'm not going to pester you to spill your innermost thoughts, I know what's wrong and I know you need someone." James said, wrapping the blanket around Kendall before wrapping an arm around his best friend.

Kendall put his head on James' shoulder. "I miss him" Kendall said through tears.

James sighed, he hated seeing Kendall crying. "I know. Your dad was amazing" James said. "He got me into hockey and inspired me to follow my dreams. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here today because I would have given up on being famous along time ago."

Kendall let out a strangled sob. "I hate that Katie hardly knew him. "he muttered.

It was the same thing every year, they went round and round and round on the same three subjects: Kendall missing his dad, Katie not knowing her dad, and Mr. Knight being amazing. James, and usually Logan and Carlos, would build Kendall up and in the process of the year, Kendall would become torn down again.

James sighed. "Kendall, do you know how much like your father you are?"

Kendall shook his head.

"You're his spitting image- you've got the same drivenness and the same kind heart. Katie knows her dad. Through you"

Kendall sighed. "You really think so"

James nodded "I know so."

Kendall cuddled closer to James. "You're all wet"

"It's raining" James pointed out.

"But you're still here."

"Of course I'm still here. Your hurting, that's more important to me than how I look"

"I love you, James" Kendall muttered.

There was something magic about being with Kendall. James knew he loved nothing more than this moment, even though it killed him that Kendall was so broken up over losing his dad.

As James smiled down at Kendall, only to be met with a kiss from the hurting party, something told him the pain was melting away. James could only hope for good. He leaned into the kiss, enjoying it while it lasted.

* * *

10 years later:

James Knight held Kendall's hand lovingly, watching his and his friend's children playing. Carlos leaned up against the side of the house, arm around Jo, laughing as his 5 year old daughter Carrie followed 7 year old Ethan Knight around the back yard. Meanwhile, Ethan's younger Twin sister, Ella, was argueing heatedly with Camille and Logan's daughter Macie. The two girls were best friends and worst enemies. Camille and Logan's other two children, 5 year old Josh and 4 year old Daisy, were in the midst of a game of tag.

Kendall had 3 year old Jack on his hip. The little boy had fallen and hurt himself 5 minutes ago, and only Kendall had actually managed to calm him down. The child was sucking his thumb happily now.

Carlos' younger daughter, Carmen, who was 2, was sitting next to Jo's feet, mumbling something. Jo was 7 months pregnant with another child and Carmen was less then thrilled about it.

Logan and Camille walked back out of the house, their 2 year old son Stephen following on his hands and knees.

"Hey" Logan looked over at Kendall. "It's September 6th" he said with a frown.

"Yeah. So?"

"Aren't you sad about your dad?" Jo asked.

"Not as bad as I used to be. It's been 16 years." Kendall reminded them. "I miss him and I wish he could meet his grandkids, but it's not like it used to be. Everything is perfectly fine right now"

James grinned. "Besides, our family is growing' he said

"What?" Carlos looked up as he scooped Carmen up. "You already have 5 kids" he reminded them. "What do the older kids think?"

James and Kendall had adopted two kids 8 years ago- 13 year old Shannon and 12 year old Rebbecca. Since then, they had used a surrogate to have the twins (Ethan being Kendall's biological child, is was more than obvious with the sandy hair and thick eyebrows, and Ella being James', she also could have been his spitting image) and then adopted Jack, James' sister's son.

"Shannon is thrilled and so is Becky. Ethan could care less and Ella is excited." Kendall said.

"What are you having?" Camille asked.

"Well, we're adopting another little boy, the papers go through in a couple days. He's 5 and his name is Charlie" James said. "Like Kendall's dad"

"and then we just got the phone call confirmed that our surrogate, who was also Ella and Ethan's surrogate, is 2 months pregnant with twins." Kendall added. "But the best part is- today is Charlie's birthday."

"Really?" Jo looked surprised.

"Yeah. So instead of today being a sad day, it's going to be a happy day" James said, pressing a kiss to Kendall's lips. "8 kids. How are we going to do that one?" he grinned.

"Same way we got through my dad's death and the sam way we did 2 and 4 and 5" Kendall said. "One step at a time

* * *

"

A/N: ugh, it sucks. I know. DON'T BLAME ME MY DADDY DIED! This was why I kinda wrote this in the first place… so uh, yeah… that's basically it. Review, they'll make my sucky day go better… :)


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